Mind Over Madness
by AllBiDean
Summary: Re-written better than before. Maka's father is kidnapped and it's up to her (and a few odd friends she picks up on the way) to solve an unsolvable labyrinth and save him from Death, or at least his son. Based on The Labryrinth
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

 _Along time ago in the desert of Nevada , a city was built by death himself, the city was named Death City and right in the centre was an academy started by The Lord of Death for those with the power to fight the evil that plagued the world. For a while everything was peaceful until something changed soon the land became over run by the evil souls that Death and the Academy sought to irradiate, Pre-kishin; those who had strayed of the human path by devouring the souls of humans. Close to becoming the true evil that could destroy the world and its inhabitants. A kishin._

 _The city was city was shut off, surround by an unsolvable labyrinth. Once in a while a brave, but incredibly stupid person would enter but none come out... EVER._

 _So for hundreds of years it stayed like this_ \- "MAKA ARE YOU PAYING ATTENTION?"

Maka looked up startled, her history teacher, Mr Anderson who was glaring from the front of the classroom. Maka looked around and slide down in her seat feeling the stares of her class mates, she slid the book under her papers and looked back up to the teacher and apologised "it won't happen again-" she continued before she was cut off by the teacher; "I should hope so, but just in case, if it does indeed happen again it will be a detention". She frowned and looked at her papers, all covered in scribbles of souls, ghastly monsters and a half human weapon. It was a figure of a male with the arm replaced by a scythe blade, the hair was left white while the rest was shaded; for some reason it didn't feel right to colour in the hair. The bell rang and Maka started to pack up her things, it was the end of the day and she planned to go to the library to study for her biology test later in the week.

She walked up the corridor, avoiding the pushing and shoving of the underclass men trying to get out of the building. She put her books in her locker and moved a few things into her bag when the sudden presence of someone made her jump. "Short blonde hair, green eyes and carrying a heap of books." She turned starting to get annoyed already. Yes she carried books but no a heap. It turned out it was a guy, most likely a senior. "Marcus Fenn" he said holding out his hand, she took it and he continued "I'm a senior, you're Maka Albarn right" Marcus smiled showing a dimple beneath his cloudy grey eyes. She nodded eyeing off his curly, chestnut hair "yeah I'm a junior, but I guess you know that. What can I help you with?" she asked as she pulled her school bag out of her locker.

"Yeah, I'm on the football team and need to get a good, really good grade on my next math test or I'm off." She nodded, not that she overly cared "Well apparently, you are miss super genius and you are a tutor in maths" he smiles again and she started walking, indicating that he should follow. "So I was thinking we could start today if you're not busy". She nodded, nice; football players and their belief that everyone would drop everything for them. She thought it over for another second; well she did want to get one of the new books the store had got in "I didn't agree to anything yet". He smiled hopefully, he was like a puppy. "But? I hear a but in that tone"

She sighed, money winning out on the weighing of pros and cons. "Okay I can only help for one hour today, and twenty for today after that ten for an hour. He nodded "That's good enough lets go". He wraps his arm around mine and drags me toward town.

"You're into the Death City legends" Marcus needed to the small black book that Maka looked over while her went over the questions she had given him, "I read that two years ago, it was pretty cool but they're not much to it." Maka looked up at him "really? It's an amazing story, yeah, it doesn't go into much detail, and I mean you can't even find a name of the author" she pointed out, moving the book around to show that. He nodded "I know, but after searching the internet I found an old manuscript of sorts" He smiles and Maka sat up "no way! Really, I thought I looked everywhere"

Marcus laughs "Yeah, I had to go deep into collector's thing but there other information." Maka leaned forward, excited "okay, no you have to tell me." He sits back and dives right in from what he knew "You know how the city was cut off?" he started and she nodded "Well before the Pre-Kishen began to take over Death was killed in battle." Maka narrowed her eyes, slightly concerned "Wait, Death died?" she was reeling but her nodded.

"Yeah, something about powers of reapers only being temporary, even if they live for thousands of years they can't live forever, and are able to be killed. So that's why he had an heir to his powers, his son." She frowned at this, there had been no mention of that before "But the new protector of the world wasn't as, well… as focused on keeping the evil at bay. He was fixated on watching a girl from another universe, and all that. Poor guy apparently, he fell in love with this chick and blah, blah, blah, vowed that even though they were in different realms he would do anything she asked.

"As you would know, the main cause for the pre-Kishens forming was madness; everyone has their own madness, the new reaper his was perfection. The want for precision drove him mad; his mind became dark and twisted. The Labyrinth was built around the city to protect the inhabitants but the labyrinth was dangerous, filled with the pre-Kishen. Those at the Academy saw what was happening and were lead into an uprising but they were killed and those who avoided the slaughter were exiled to the labyrinth. But he continued to watch over the girl obsessively while his own world fell to ruin."

"Wow" Maka sat back, think over the new information before she commented "you know I kinda feel sorry for the girl" Marcus raises his eyebrow, questioning and Maka rolled eyes, _yeah why would you feel sorry for someone being basically stalked_ "would you want help from a mad man? Also this 'love' thing just seems like an obsession. His judgement of right and wrong would be off".

Marcus nods and looks at his watch "shit, its seven o'clock, hey ugh meet you here tomorrow?" She nodded back to thinking of Death City, waving as he left.

After a week of helping Marcus study for his test the two became closer, and made plans to hang out outside of studying. Maka found that she considered Marcus to be one of her only friends she had. When he passed the test he asked her out to the movies, as friends. It was some action film and the pair had had a discussion about it on the way home. It had been a really good day until she got home. It was raining by the time she got to the house and was damp and cold as the rain was however, the ice in her mother's tone had made the inside of the house feel like a blizzard had come right though.

"Bloody hell spirt. I'm sick of this, I'm sick of you and your damned cheating. You said it wouldn't happen again!" Maka froze at her mother's screeching it hit like a brick wall. They probably didn't notice her enter, they were so centred on their fight, Spirit Albarn was gripping onto a wall, most likely drunk off his face again and Kami who Maka resembled down to the last blonde hair on her head was standing over him, she was tall but that was because of her legs while her torso was shorter. Her father on the other hand had dyed red hair that when down to his shoulders and baby blue eyes that were nearly always glassy. Maka stormed up the stairs and into her room. It was always like this; a never ending cycle. Spirit would go out, sleep with some random woman, come home get yelled at sometimes he yelled back but it was normally a one-sided argument.

She throw herself onto the bed, still in her damp clothes, she had worn a white button up blouse and a yellow sweater vest, and a red and black tartan skirt, her hair was pulled up in pigtails. She covered her ears as the yelling got louder; they were going up the stairs and outside her door. Suddenly the direction changed and then there was a slamming of the front door. Her mother had left her and walked out again. Maka sighed pulling herself up there was only one picture of the three of them when they were happy, she was five in it. Why did she have to put up with it?

Her bedroom door was knocked on and Spirit walked in, looking abashed "Maka, honey. I'm sorry you had to hear that." She frowned, _really? He was going with that?_ She had to listen to that on a near bi-weekly basis. She got up fuming but remained calm on the surface "How can you say that! You do it all the time, it's your fault!" she near yelled "you don't care, about me or Mama. Only yourself!" Spirit shrinks away looking down "you don't love Mama enough to do right by her or me apparently! I'm sick of it and you. I wish you were gone. Forever. I wish someone took you away and lever let you out of whatever hole you crawled out of"

Spirit was frozen looking at his daughter before walking out of the room, looking nearly sobered by what she said. Maka picked up one of her cushions, white with a black X across it and throw it at the door before punching the wall, a then instantly regretting in because the wall hurt. Rubbing her knuckles and mumbling "I wish The Lord of death would take his soul". A crack of thunder shook the house and she grabbed onto her desk, waiting till her heart had calmed down. She looked out the door; the dark from the hall seemed to seep into her room, filling her with a cold dread. She walked out into the hall, treading softly as her heart stared racing faster, _no, I'm not scared, and this is my house. There's nothing to be scared of in the dark;_ she told herself that over and over before she opened her parents' bedroom door. It was empty.

She looked around _what the hell_ she spun around the room "PAPA?" Where are you?!" she yelled, this situation was freaking her out really quickly.

A soft chuckle came from the hall and she froze; that wasn't her father. There was someone in her house, _you came to the wrong house you mother_ she thought, grabbing a wooden baseball bat. Her heartbeat picked up and she held the bat over her shoulder, ready to swing at any idiot who came near her. She stepped out into the hall, as lightning flashed, lighting up her surroundings to show the intruder in front of her. Shock and fear pumped through Maka as she swung at the unknown person. They lifted their arm to block but when the bat made impact it cracked and left her holding half a spikey piece of wood. She looked up at the person and held the half bat in front of her as she backed away slowly.

"Calm down Love, I wouldn't hurt you" Maka narrowed her eyes, well it was a guy. His voice was silky and rich and if she wasn't freaking terrified it would have been attractive, but she was terrified so it was just scary as hell.

In the disappearing light his golden eyes glow as he leant against the wall his hand fell back to his side. His hair was raven black; peculiarly he had three white stripes ringing around his hair which gave of the effect of glowing. His attire was extremely formal in his black suit. Five black lines vertically lined his smirk.

His eyes moved over Maka, filling her with the cold that came before, while here heart speed up she felt immobilised. He was beautiful but she could see a dead kind of cold in his eyes and it scared the crap out of her. Piping up what courage she could feel she stood taller glaring at him "Who are you and what the hell are you doing in my house" she demanded and he gave her an icy smile. "I am Death; well his son but I have the title of the Reaper is mine now. You however can call me Kid" he chuckled as though he had said something funny. Yeah she was a freak show she could see it. He walks toward her and she took a step back, lifting the broken bat to face level, his eyes narrow.

"You don't come any closer to me, what did you do to my father?" she said before he came closer the distance making her move back and into a wall He swiftly wacked the ruined bat handle out of her hand and frowned. He lifted his hand, touching one of her pigtails distractedly "I took his soul to my city." He said simply and she widened her eyes in shock _oh god I got my Papa killed, does that count as patricide?_ Maka's face looked pleadingly "Please but I need him." he pulled back and looked scrutiny at her "then why ask me to"

She shook her head, "I was angry I didn't mean, I didn't think" she looked up has he grabbed her chin, pulling her face up to his. His face had hardened, colder than before "then why day something if you don't mean it

Kid's hand grabs my chin and lifts my head to meet his hardened gaze. "I won't and if you don't mean something then don't say it" he said coldly and Maka was filled with the feeling of dread again, then she realised it was coming from him. "If you need him so much then you should think before you speak." Maka frowned pushing away the cold feeling, she shoved against him, managing to push him back slightly "you're not real your just from a story in a stupid book" she yelled and Kid's gold eyes blazed, but when he spoke his voice was sub zero; "well that's a shame, if I'm not real then I'll go and you can forget about your father" he turned away and Maka grabbed onto his arm, yelling for him to stop "Wait, I'll do anything just give him back."

Kid turned around back to her, his coat flapping in the wind. _Wait wind?_ She looked around to find the pair of them in a desert; and in the distance she could see _Death City, oh god, it's real._ "Anything?" Kid brought back her attention and he was smiling in an amused way, but how a child smiles at an ant they're burning with a magnifying glass. Somehow Maka felt that was close to her situation. He looked behind him then back at her "very well, Maka I'll give you a day" he looked over her "yes, I think a day will give you I fighting chance." She narrowed her eyes "a chance for what Kid?" she snapped and he just shrugged her anger off. "A day to get through the labyrinth and into the city; if you get to the Academy in twenty four hours then I'll hand over your father and all this will go away". Maka looked at the City, it was already an estimated 20 minute walk to the gates, but she hand no other choice, "and if I don't?" she looked back to Kid but he was gone. She turned in a circle before cursing.

Maka looked at the desert before setting toward the City; it was filled with Pre-Kishen that could kill her in a second. There wasn't much chance of getting out of it alive.


	2. Chapter 2

Maka was surprised that night and day seemed to be correlated with her night and day at home when Kid so carelessly kidnapped her into another _universe_ it was 10 and it seemed to be around the same time here and she still hadn't slept. Honestly she thought it was a bit of a dis advantage to her but Kid didn't seem the type to play fair, or accept someone asking for him to. As the thought it took around 20 minutes for her to reach the entrance, or at least where it should be. The wall was tall, like more than five elephants stacked on each other huge, and as an added bonus; she couldn't find the damned entrance.

She walked across the wall running her fingers against it trying to find an in, "you know you can just ask how to get in" she spun around to find someone sitting behind her. "Another idiot trying to get in, why does everyone want to get themselves killed?" he had white hair, and a black jacket; he was hunched like he had been sitting there for years, his shoulders rounded forward.

She crossed her arms and faced him "what concern is it of yours, old man" she snapped and he looked up glaring at her.

"I'm the keeper of the gate so you'd better talk nicely or you won't get anywhere" she froze, his eyes were blood red and his teeth were sharpened into points. _Okay_ the thought _be nice to the scary monster._

She stared at him before she frowned "you look like a teenager."

He rolled his eyes getting up, "nicely spotted, Holmes any more brilliant deductions" he snarked and she smiled slightly, _okay, a funny guy._

"So you know how to get in?" she asked and he raised an eyebrow.

" _No,_ I'm the keeper of the Gate but I have _no idea_ how to open it, of course I know how to get in; whether or not I let you in is a different story."

Maka scowled "why wouldn't you let me in?" honestly this guy was a bit of an ass, why would he not let her in to go to her death? It was a simple request.

"Because Maka, Kid doesn't want you to win and I want to keep my head attached to the rest of my body" he walked past her and she found herself following him, _wait how does he know my name?_ She frowned and repeated the question and he looked over his shoulder; "how could I no? Kid only spends most of his time creeping about you" she shivered in revulsion. How much time had Kid spent watching her? "Anyway, I'm surprised he hadn't abducted you sooner, although" he turned and looked her over "no offence but you don't look overly remarkable."

She huffed ignoring his comment "well how exactly are you, besides keeper of a dumb invisible gate, you're not that impressive if you ask me" she sniffed and he looked over, slightly offended. "I'm Soul Eater" _right because that's a freaking normal name wait_ SOUL EATER. As in _EATING SOULS_. Like a Kishen or pre-Kishen, and he had abnormal looks and _oh, god._

"You're not a Kishen are you" she squeaked and he looked over, slightly amused before he leaned close into her personal space.

"Why? Do I scare you?" she shook her head and he just grinned wider "well you should, you should be scared of everything here, everything can kill you and most will want to."

She stepped back shaking slightly and he looked back over her before turning to the wall. "You can go in now" she looked up and there was an opening he looked over, his eyes bored "the best way to move forward is to admit when you're lost or scared, Maka"

"I can go in?" she asked still slightly shaken by his speech, he crossed his arms again .

Yeah but I wouldn't suggest or indorse it; you're not going to get out, Maka. Even if you reach Kid, he won't let you go; he isn't right in the head."

She nodded but moved forward and turned back to him "I figured, but that's a risk I'll have to take" She walked in and looked up and down the curved passage way she turned back to Soul through the closing doors, he looked back up "also Maka, be careful of-" the door closed on them and She was alone.

 _Twenty minutes in and I'm lost_ , she though bitterly and turned back from the latest dead end. There were so many around there were no way show would find her way. She frowned "yeah, well no matter how many dead ends I'll find the way there. I'm perfectly okay" she snarled at the ground. Maka had begun to skim her hand across the wall after her when to lean on one and fell through. She had been in there for nearly half of an hour and felt like it was pointless. She found a fake wall and ran up it, taking different turns and she felt like she was actually getting somewhere.

She could start to see the moon creeping over the wall and ran faster until she came to a left or right turn. She picked right and ended up at a dead end. Again. Maka shouted and kicked the wall before yelping, s _tupid hard walls always abusing me_ , she knew what this was, the Labyrinth could be manipulated by its maker, and she knew who that was. "I'm not giving up kid! She shouted into the void "so you can stop messing with me." She turned around to find herself boxed in "oh, Hell no! Kid you Jackass, you let me out right NOW!" and he did at that very moment. He took the floor away.

It was not an Alice in Wonderland moment with a long and slow fall full of bookshelves and marmalade. This was fast and terrifying and Maka screamed like a preteen meeting Justin Bieber (except this was fear). _This is it; I'll never get into an Ivy League school unless they give scholarships to the dead._

A minute after Maka accepted her fact she landed, in a pair of arms to be specific. "Wow from your screaming you'd think you were dying" she looked up to find Soul's good for nothing smirk aimed at her. _Nope,_ she thought _I accepted death don't give me this_. "I have to say though, a gave you a max of 5 minutes but you lasted 20" he moved, putting her up right and onto her feet. "You're alive and have all your limbs so why don't you quit while you have a head." She frowned confused and he rolled his eyes "come on Maka you must see you can't win, just give up go home; live."

Maka felt outraged, "no, I've got this far and I'm not going back I've done great and I would be going better in that good for nothing, psychotic, evil son of a-" Soul clamped his hand over my mouth looking terrified.

"Shit, Maka do you want him to kill you?" she glared at him and grumbled and he scowled "don't think he won't, he's done it before. Now I'm going to get you out of this god dammed labyrinth and you're going to leave" Soul snapped and Maka opened her mouth, biting down on his hand and he jumped back "Death!, you nutcase that hurt."

Maka stepped away from him, "well that's too bad because I'm not giving up, I don't quit on family, not like my parents do" she glared up at him and she looked frustrated just to be near her. Soul growled _yeah growled, I'm still not convinced he is human_ , and grabbed her wrist, hard.

Maka yelped and he pulled her forward and leaning close the face "You're a stubborn thick headed idiot! Even if you got to the Academy do you think he would hand your father over? Not freaking likely, if you go to him he won't let you or your father go. I'm doing what's best. Right now that's getting you the hell away from here and Kid."

Maka felt her nose start to twitch and her eyes water _no, you are not crying in front of this bastard_ "please" she sniffed "I have to, it's my entire fault. I did this. I have to fix it." She whimpered and then _yep I'm crying good job Albarn._ Soul looked increasingly distressed at his situation.

"Shit, Maka don't cry please" he rubbed his forehead and looked back to the crying teen and groaned "Fine. Fine; I know people near the city they can help you get in, just stop crying _please."_

Sniffing she looked up and wiped under her eyes, thank god she didn't wear makeup; her face would be a mess, instead of just red and blotchy. "You won't stay with me?" she asked and he looked at her, and looked for a long while before shaking his head and laughed

"No I'm already asking for it doing this much, anymore time near you and I'd be looking at treason, I'm already in deep enough." He sighed "come on let's get out of under here."

Soul and Maka walked under the very grey, very boring underground tunnels for nearly an hour looking of a way out. Maka found the false alarms amusing; they were large tribal looking statues of heads that yelling things like 'go back' and 'you're going the wrong way'. Soul got into a fight with one, saying that they weren't the bloody tourists so it could shut up. The amusement started to dry up as she got tireder. Soul started to pull on her hand trying to get her to go faster "Come on Maka, we need to go faster do you what Kid to think something's up."

She yawned "you know you're pretty scared of him, why don't you stand up four yourself?" he looked back at her, a haunted look in his eye and shook his head.

"I tried I failed and I'm just trying to stay alive now." He sat her down on the side of the path and said he was going to quickly look for the exit while she took a rest. Maka nodded and watched him walk away then closed her eyes.

She jolted away nearly five minutes later when someone spoke "You should have given up my dear" She looked up to see Kid standing opposite her, leaning against the wall. She shot up, looking up the tunnel to where Soul had gone "Oh, don't even try it, you can't run from me, Love" she smiled and looked at her in a fond way, _yeah like a cat looks fondly at a mouse._

I stand tall and face him head on "you don't get to talk to me like that, like you know me." She snarled and his amber eyes steeled, he kicked against the wall, swiftly closing the gap between them. He held one arm against the wall close to her neck his arm slightly covering her body but just enough s she couldn't move.

He cupped her cheek in s soft way that contrasted his obvious rage. Despite all the feelings of fear and dread he radiated toward her Maka lifted her chin defiantly, returning the cold glare. He snarled and she flinched back "I can talk to you any way I please, Love, you're mine".

Maka raised herself again. "I am not _yours_ " she snarled "and I'm not scared of you so you can take yourself and toss off because _I'm not afraid of you"_ she spat back and he smiled, somehow he made that look terrifying and smug.

He moved back slightly "you would do better to be afraid of me and you should watch your tone, I don't like it" he said almost too softly and his hand moved away from her face only to be replaced by a sharp sting, _he_ slapped _me! Actually did that._

"Don't touch her you slimy piece of" Soul came running from the tunnel and stopped "Kid" he choked out.

Kid turned to him and sneered "oh Evans, what a surprise. Not that you're here, could never stay in line could you? No I notice you're going in the wrong direction you are escorting her out are you not?" Soul looked down clenching his fist. Maka stepped forward blocking Soul from Kid.

"That's cheating you can't do that." She snapped, irritated "I got that far you had no right to try and get him to take me back" she stepped up and Kid regarded her unemotionally.

"My love, I don't think you quite understand" he drawled "this labyrinth is mine, I make the rules. You are just playing my game. Well as it is I can't have Evans forgetting who's in charge again" he pulled out a gun from his jacket. Maka stepped back and she felt an arm snake around her middle and pull her back and behind Soul. The gunshot resounded in the tunnel and Soul fell forward, one arm holding him up slightly as he gasped for air

Maka moved to his side, kneeling next to him. She looked up furiously to where kid was but he had disappeared again. She helped Soul turn around so he was sitting properly, he clutched his chest and he whacked his hand away, she moved his shirt up, there was a long white scar but no gunshot wound she looked up confused and he shrugged weakly giving a half-assed attempt at a re-assuring smile "it shot my soul not actually my body the bullets from his guns are actually worse that lead though" he explained, "trust me it hurts more but" he groaned getting up holding his chest" it takes less time to recover, come on I found our way out"


	3. Chapter 3

When Soul pulled Maka out of the hatch she noticed that the sky was completely black, no stars decorating the night the only light was that from the few lanterns scattered and the moon; the moon intrigued her the most though, the golden crescent grinned down at the City from the sky, _yeah grinned as in has eyes and a mouth_ … _and was dripping blood._ Soul smirked and looked up "it's pretty creepy hey?"

Maka nodded"it's different to my moon" he looks at her and smiled, not one of his sarcastic smirks or smug grins but a real genuine smile. Then at the sound of the metal scraping on metal it was replaced with a look terror.

"Soul? What-" she looked around trying to find the noise but he grabbed her hand, pulling her to her feet before proceeding to pull/drag her up one of the pathways opposite to where the noise came from. Soon enough Maka found her feet and was Running alongside him.

"Soul" she panted "I don't understand why are we running?" she asked as they made a left turn. He huffed barely turning to her

"You now when asked if I was a Kishen?" she nodded along with a "yeah". He laughed slightly hysterically "Well we are being chased by a pre-Kishen." Oh this feeling of Dread and terror was all her own "Not as powerful, but it still will kill us." Maka nodded before Soul stopped and she swallowed, maintenance needed to fix this dead end problem they had. _Ha,_ she thought _killed because of a dead end_.

Soul turned and pulled her along "Shit, come on" the pair run back the way they came from, but were blocked off when the monster stuck it's his head into the intersection, sniffing. If you've seen any horror movie you would know the feeling of fear as the killer is so close to the to-be victims and then as the music gets louder, and screecher and tenser the suddenly look right at the person lick with the scary head snap. Well that what just happened. Maka quelled the scream bubbling up as it stared at them and started to turn. Maka froze; her blood ran cold in her veins.

The pre-Kishen took up most of the outdoor corridor; it was hunched over, almost vertical as it stalked towards the pair of teenagers. Its fingers were long blades that connected to large metal wings that jerked about with every flick of its deadly 'fingers'. Soul was stepping back and started dragging Maka with him. Maka looked at Soul in terror "can't you say you work for Kid, maybe he'll go" she whimpered and Soul shook his head. "They don't work for Kid, the labyrinth was made to keep them in, and they're uncontrollable" for the first time she saw Soul be completely and utterly serious, _which is understandable as we are facing our death_. The pre-kishin came closer a pointed tongue darted out of its mouth, licking its lips as it advanced. Maka felt the dead end hit her back and her eyes watered, she didn't fight it this time, she was going to die whether she cried or not. Soul's hand squeezed Maka's "don't look" he whispered to her with that his hand unwrapped from Maka's, despite her clinging onto it. She hunched over, cringing.

The scraping sound of metal scraping on metal raised Goosebumps on Maka's arm. That or it was the fear of death, _funny I accepted falling to my death not 2 hours ago now I'm about to get killed by a monster_. She leaned closer into the wall "keep your eyes closed Maka" Soul huffed.

Maka whimpered turning into the wall "I swear to god Soul, if you don't tell me what is going on I will Maka-Chop the hell out of you" she yells

"Sorry to break it to you Pigtails, but you can't do that if you're dead." he laughed despite the whole _we're going to die_ thing

The scrapes of metal against metal grew faster and louder until an inhuman shriek filled the still night air and then it's gone. I open my eyes to find Soul panting in front of a red glowing orb. Focused on the orb he gave a self-satisfied smirk before he reached out and grabbed. He stood up and leaned his head back before dropping the orb in his mouth and swallowing. Maka stared in horror, watching what he did; _Soul had killed and ate that thing's soul like the pre-kishens_. He turned back and narrowed his eyes "Honestly woman can't you do one thing a person asks, I told you not to watch" he groaned exasperated.

She looked down, shell shocked. Both because somehow she was still alive and also, _oh yeah_ Soul eats souls. Ha, Soul Eater. She shook her head "the book said... I thought only". She heard Soul groan if frustration

"Yes, I eat souls I know very ironic, well I thought it was funny when I chose it" he chuckles she looks up disgusted

"I don't understand, Soul! I thought that you weren't a Kishen or pre-Kishen."

He rolls his eyes "I'm not, never said I was did I? Come on we need to find some where to rest it not safe at night" he nods for her to follow but Maka stayed still staring at him.

Soul groaned throwing his head back. "Come on Maka I'm not some monster. I wouldn't hurt you" _it's either stay here or go with him_ , she told herself and walked forward.

* * *

They walked back to the exit of the tunnels and head up another direction. Maka and Soul don't hold hands this time, there was no need; Soul walked slightly ahead of her slouched but on guard. The way was lit with the occasional lantern; the damp stonewalls started to become covered by moss and vines. Before long the path opened up to a grass covered opening "how does it go from dead lifeless stone to this" Maka asked and Soul shrugged.

"I dunno but the living exiles have made homes in the labyrinth, to be honest this is the first time I've been actually in here before" he said walking toward a group of trees with Maka following behind.

Maka sat at the trunk of one of the trees, opposite to her sat Soul leaned forward staring at her; "how much do you know about Death City?"

She sighed and she groped at her pockets before pulling out the book "only what I've read in this, and what Marcus told me." She handed the book over and he flipped though it; "and this Marcus is?" he asked his red eyes looking over the book

"A friend." She said

"and what was this all telling information he told you?" she shrugged "only about Lord Death and Kid taking over."

He looked up frowning "do you about what the Academy was?" Maka shook her head, that hadn't come up

"No, only that it fought the pre-kishens."

Soul bobbed his head "do you know how they did?"

Maka shook her head, it never said in the book and it hadn't come up when talking to Marcus. _You know, for someone who's thought about this for years I don't really know anything._

"Okay so the breakdown is that the Academy was called the DWMA; it stands for Death Weapon Meister Academy" Maka stared for a moment before she spoke

"What's a meister?" Soul shook his head putting the book down.

"Shush pigtails I'm getting to it." He grins over at her and continues "a meister is a human that has a strong soul; they have the ability to sense other souls or channel their wavelength though their bodies attacking with it directly." She opened her mouth to talk "No, Maka I said shush. Which brings me to the Weapon, they were created in the twelfth century, they have the ability to turn into a weapon, depending on who they are they have a different form; some call it the blade of the soul. They become stronger with experience and with; like the pre-kishens, souls."

She sat taking in what he just said. "So, when you ate the pre-Kishen's soul."

Soul nodded "yeah, I'm a weapon; we don't eat human souls though, they make us stronger but its and that is what creates the pre-Kishen".

"So you were with the Academy" Soul nods, a mournful look takes over his face "Kid was my one of my best friends, he was crazy but not like this, there were six of us. Kid and his weapons Liz and Patty; and Black*Star" Maka looked amused

"You're friend's name is Black*Star?" she asked incredulously.

He looked at her with a distant look, the haunted one from earlier " _Was_. His weapon was Tsubaki; she was the nicest thing on earth and was probably the only one who could put up with him, poor day after Lord Deaths passing Kid and Black*Star went on a solo mission and they came across a pure source of madness, it infected the both of them. Star managed to fight it off but Kid was already unstable. He took the loss of his dad pretty hard and the madness just made him worse. When he came back his obsession with perfection became overwhelming and" he looked up at Maka "He watched you nearly every day; it's funny how the time passes differently, a year passes here where only a day has gone in your world, although our aging goes along with yours. You're what seventeen?" he asks.

Maka nods and he chuckles hollowly, "strange. So I and Liz decided to confront Kid about it, he had a soft spot for Liz so I thought he would listen But I was wrong though he attack us and nearly killed Liz. It was my fault. I went to the strongest at the Academy; the Death Scythes, they were the most powerful weapons. The Academy revolted against Kid, hoping to bring him down. But Kid is a reaper so he had an advantage. Those he didn't kill were exiled into here. He still has Liz's sister" he shook his head "the gun is her. Me, I got stuck with the job of manning the entrance, watching people go in but never come out, I try to stop them, but it's inevitably. They go in, they die, and the weight packs onto my shoulders. Just like before."

Maka studies Soul's face, it was like he had turned to stone. _The whole situation was worse than I could imagine,_ and Soul thinking it was his fault. It wasn't right, any of this "it wasn't your fault Soul" she says softly "you were doing what was right, the deaths are on Kid not you. You never did anything wrong." he watches her sadly and just shakes his head turning away to fall asleep. Soon Maka does the same.


End file.
